Chicago police poised to get 2 percent pay raises

Random alcohol tests to start in 2010 under proposed contract

The City Council is poised to approve a new Chicago Police Department contract granting officers 2 percent average yearly raises after a committee recommended its passage without dissent Tuesday.

Police officers also will be subject to random alcohol testing starting in 2012 and have to submit to drug and alcohol tests if they fire their weapons on or off duty under the pact that the full council will consider Wednesday.

Fraternal Order of Police President Mark Donahue said his members remain frustrated that an arbitrator didn't award them larger salary increases, but said he thinks officers see it as fair given the weak economy.

"The economy, the sacrifices that other people are making at this time, I think that's why our membership can look at it as a fair award. It's something that they're more deserving of, as far as the economic issues, but overall it's a fair award," Donahue said after Tuesday's hearing by the Police and Finance committees.

"They get greater than the cost of living, as far as pay increases," Donahue added. "There are no losses, as far as unpaid furlough days, there are no give-backs in this contract. There are no increases in health care costs."

Mayor Richard Daley had offered a 16 percent raise over five years, but pulled that off the table in March 2009 after it sat there for more than a year as police union leaders dug in. Independent arbitrator Edwin Benn then ruled in April that officers would get a 10 percent raise over five years.

Donahue said the union was never given a chance to negotiate on the 16 percent offer. He said union leadership remains irked that Daley has said officers could have gotten more if they had accepted the city's initial offer. "That annoyance will not go away, but I think in light of the character making those comments, you have to take all that into consideration," Donahue said.

City Hall has said it's likely to borrow $160 million to cover back pay dating to July 2007, but the tab for taxpayers could have been much greater if the raises had been higher.

Donahue's term as union president expires in spring 2011, and he is ineligible to run again because of term limits.